With the packing material removed, we get our first look at the IBM System x3400 M3 tower.

Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

The IBM System x3400 M3 is shipped with a pair of power cables and the product documentation.

Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Unpacking the IBM System x3400 M3 server is best done with two people.

Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

The IBM System x3400 M3 comes as either a tower or 5U rack by CTO or optional conversion kit. This tower version is 17.3 inches tall, 8.6 inches wide, 30.2 inches deep, and weighs between 59.7 and 83.4 pounds (depending on the configuration). This machine is significantly larger and heavier than your average desktop tower.

Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

On the front of the IBM System x3400 M3 are two USB 2.0 ports, two locking drive covers (with hexagonal ventilation holes), and a row of indicator lights (on the edge of the case above the top drive cover).

Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Behind the IBM System x3400 M3's top drive cover is the optical drive and two additional 5.25" drive bays. A small white power button is also located in the top-left corner.

Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

Instructions for accessing various areas of the IBM System x3400 M3 (such as the media bays) are conveniently located on multiple case stickers.

Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

The lock on the side panel prevents unauthorized individuals from accessing the hardware inside the case and the media bays.

Drives are hot-swappable and removing them is as simple as lifting up this level and pulling the drive out. I'll leave them in place for now.

Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

With the side panel open, we get our first look inside the IBM System x3400 M3. The M3's case design allows for easy access to the system's interior hardware.

Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

A large sticker with system service information is located on the inside of the IBM System x3400 M3's removable side panel.

Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

Our test system came with a single optical drive, but the IBM System x3400 M3 has two additional 5.25" bays.

Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

The back of the IBM System x3400 M3's hard drive bays. Our test system was configured for eight, hot-swappable 2.5" SAS drives.

Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

The IBM System x3400 M3 comes with either a fixed or hot-swappable power supply. Our test system had a pair of hot-swappable supplies.

The supplies were mounted in a large metal housing that swung out of the case allowing access to the first CPU, a second set of DIMM sockets, and various motherboard connections.

Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

The IBM System x3400 M3 has space for a pair of CPUs and supports a variety of Intel units, including the 6-Core Intel Xeon (X56xx), 4-Core Intel Xeon (E56xx), 4-Core Intel Xeon (E55xx), and 2-Core Xeon (E55xx).

Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

The IBM System x3400 M3 tower contains three of these large cooling fans.

Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

The optional IBM ServeRAID SAS/SATA Controller takes up one of the PCIe slots. The two large cables run to the circuit board behind the hard drive bays.

Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

A clear plastic cover surrounds the CPUs, DIMMs, and much of the mother board. We need to remove the power supplies before removing this clear cover.

Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Our IBM System x3400 M3 test machine had a pair of hot-swappable power supplies.

Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

The IBM System x3400 M3 supports either 920W or 670W universal, autoswitching power supplies.

Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

With the supplies removed, the supplies' metal housing should swing out from the case.

Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

With the supply housing in the open position, we can see the clear plastic cover behind it.

Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

We can now remove the clear plastic cover that sits behind the power supply housing.

With the clear plastic cover removed, we get a much better view of the main system board, DIMM sockets, CPU heatsinks, and other internal components. Next, I'll remove the large metal housing for the IBM System x3400 M3's three cooling fans.

Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

The IBM System x3400 M3 can support up to 128GB of RDIMM memory in 16 DIMM slots, or up to 24GB of UDIMM memory in 12 slots. Our test system had 16 slots.

Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Cables for the optical drive, hard drives, and various other components.

Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

(Image: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic)

The IBM System x3400 M3 contains an embedded hypervisor--"a USB port on the motherboard, activated with an optional USB key for supporting VMware ESXi for virtualization."

Photo credit: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

The IBM System x3400 M3 has six adapter slots standard--five PCIe Gen 2 slots and one legacy PCI slot.

The IBM System x3400 M3 has space for a pair of CPUs and supports a variety of Intel units, including the 6-Core Intel Xeon (X56xx), 4-Core Intel Xeon (E56xx), 4-Core Intel Xeon (E55xx), and 2-Core Xeon (E55xx).

Bill Detwiler is Managing Editor for ZDNet's sister site TechRepublic Pro and the host of Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show. He was most recently Head Technology Editor for TechRepublic. Prior to joining TechRepublic in 2000, Bill was an IT manager and desktop support technician in the social research and energy i...
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